Summoned by a Delhi court as an accused in the multi-crore coal scam, Odisha's BJP MLA and former Union Coal Minister Dilip Ray today said he sees a "conspiracy" behind the enire episode.
He is the first minister of the NDA government of 1999 to have been summoned as an accused in a coal scam case.
"I have absolutely no role except referring an application of a former MP from Bihar to the screening committee of the coal ministry to re-examine allotment of a coal block," he told reporters.
Ray said the coal block mentioned does not operate at all. "I suspect a conspiracy behind the entire episode," Ray said.
Claiming that he is innocent, he said "I see a conspiracy because there is no basis of the allegation against me. Let me repeat that I have not recommended the committee to re-consider, rather suggested to re-examine. I will reply my stand to the court."
Stating that all the union ministers used to give remarks on applications in the manner in which he did in the past, he said "I have not written re-consider, but refereed former MP's application to the screening committee headed by an additional secretary of the ministry, to re-examine the matter."
Ray, who was union minister of state for coal during the NDA regime in 1999, was earlier in the day summoned as an accused along with others in connection with a coal block allocation case by a special court in Delhi.
Asked whether he was questioned by CBI earlier, Ray said "The CBI people had talked to me on the matter about one-and-half-a-year or two years ago. I never expected such a summon in the coal matter."
Besides Ray, the court has also summoned Pradip Kumar Banerjee, then additional secretary in the ministry of coal, Nitya Nand Gautam, then advisor (projects) in the ministry, Castron Technologies Ltd, its director Mahendra Kumar Agarwalla and Castron Mining as accused in the case.
The case pertains to the alleged irregularities in allocation of Brahmadiha coal block at Giridih in Jharkhand to Castron Technologies Ltd in 1999.
Special CBI court summoned the persons and the two firms for the alleged offences under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of IPC and under the relevant provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court has directed them to appear before it on February 26. The court summoned the accused after taking cognizance of CBI's charge sheet.
